Steam lift



Sept. 9, 1930. G. w. WATTS STEAM LIFT Filed July 25', 1925 2 Shuts-Sheet 1 G. W. WATTS Sept. 9, 1930.

S'I EAM LIFT Filed July 23, 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet. 2

Patented Sept. 9, 1930 "UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE GEORGE W. WATTS, F WHITING, INDIANA, ASSIGNOR TO STANDARD OIL COMPANY,

. OI CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF INDIANA STEAM LIFT Application filed July 23,

for use in connection withstills in the treat ment of crude oil and its products. The. invention is fully described in the following specification and is shown in the accompanyini drawings, in which: 7

igure 1 is a diagrammatieview showing the steam lift in relation to a still;

F ig." 2 is an enlarged vertical section through the steam lift; and v Fig. 3 is a horizontal section on the line 3 3 of Fig. 2. I

In the embodiment illustrated, the steam lift is shown in connection with two stills 11 and 12, the steam lift bein located well below the level of oil in the sti l 11 and connected thereto by means of a downwardly disposed pipe 13. A vertical pipe 14 leads from the steam lift 10 to a column -15 which is here shown disposed above the still 12 and is connected thereto by means of a ipe' 16.

The steam lift as illustrated in 1gs. 2 and 3 is preferably made of a casting havinga converging diverging tube of the Venturi type thereln, the tube in the form illustrated having its diverging portion 17' disposed vertically and its converging portion 18 curved. The ends of the tube are flanged as at 19 and 26 for convenience of! attachment to the pipes 13 and 14. The steam lift is supported by a foot 21. Y

A circular flange 22 is formed on the lower portion of the body and; is adaptedto receive a housing 23 which surrounds the neck and divergingmportion of the Venturi tube, said housing mg preferably welded to the fianges and 22. Steam is introduced into the annular space between the up er portion of the Venturi tube 17 and the by means of a pipe 24 which leads to any suitable source of steam supply. A seriesof apertures (preferably inclined), forming steam jets or nozzles 25 is formed in the uppenportion of the Venturi tube 17 and these nozzles preferably project inwardly and upwardly from all sides so that the kinetic energy the steam entering at high velocity is impartedto the mixture of oil and steam.

w It v'tillbe understood from the foregoing oil vapors from the still (11 or 12). to which ing the tube may be at a pressure of, say, 10

ousing 23 1925. Serial No. 45,618.

that with the still 11 and the pipes 13 and 14 filled with oil which is heated well above the boiling point of water, the introduction of steam into the upper portion of the Venturi tube 117 will form a mixture of steam oil va or, and hot oil in the tube 14 whose speci e gravity is so much lower than that of the heavier oil in the still 11 and in the downpipe 13 that it will cause the lighter mixture in the pipe 14 to flow up to the column 15 and thence down into the still; At the same time the oil being above the boiling point of water will keep the steam thus introduced in the vapor phase. In the column 15 the steam and the oil vapors carried by it are separated from'the unvaporized oil, which descends the column in countercurrent to the steam and the column is attached.

The lower portion 18 of the venturi is so proportioned as to impart a uniform acceleration to the oil and the velocity attained at the throat is maintained substantially constantin the upper portion 17 'due to its diverging form and to the. injection of steam from the jet 25.

b In the operation of the device there is a substantial drop in statidpressureof the oil or other liquid passin through the tube beyond its neck and int e diverging portion 17.

The supply of steam in this portion makes possible the use of steam (or other a as) at a lower static pressure than that of tlie'oil or liquid entering the tube. Thus the oil entera5 Epunds per square i nch, but its pressure may so reduced in the diverging portion 17 of the tube that steam .or gas 'may besupplied there at a substantially lower pressure; say, 7 to 8 pounds per square inch.

While I have shown and described but a single embodiment of this invention. it'is to r be understood that it is, capable of many modifications. Changes therefore in the construction and arrangement may be made which do not depart from the spirit and scope of the invention as-disclosed in the appended claim.

E claim: in combination, an oil still, a pipe leading therefrom from below the level or oil therein, said pipe extendin downwardly and. upwardly to substantia ly above the level of oil in said still, and a steam lift between 5 said downwardly and upwardly extending portions whereby steam may be in acted into the hot oil to vaporize a portion t ereof and to cause it to flow from said still, said steam lift comprising a Venturi tube in the lower section of the upwardly directed portion of said pipe and means for causing the steam to be supplied into the diverging portion of said Venturi tube.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set 15 my hand this 30th da of June, 1925.

GE RGE W -WATTS. 

